Nevada County picayune., 1887-04-27
It seemed but yesterday their

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 Will had slipped the tiny gold band he wore upon her finger-it seemed but a thread of gold now asking her to wea: it until he came back.
 "For," said he. "I'll never come back until l can offer you name and home. Somehow the devil has had possession of me lately, but bad as I am 1 would scOrn 10 do what they accuse me of-torture a feeble old man. While you be- lieve and trust me, there are plen- ty who do not" And with last "Good-bye, my Beth," was gone.
 When the first letter came ad. dressed to Miss Beth Allen ill Wills round, boyish hand, MT. Al. len drowned and his wife scOlded, but when she was for stopping the correspondence at once, he said:
 "There, there, mother! let the girl write to him if she wants to; she won't do him any harm, and l can trust her for an Allen not to go far out of the way"
 So the matter had dropped, and for five years 'Llzabeth's letters were received without comment; then they ceased suddenly and un- expectedly. For months Elizabeth watched the malls with anxious tace. Mrs. Allen shook her head with an "I told you he didn't amount to anything" whenever there was no one but her husband to hear, and Mir. Allen waited in silence. Time does much toward healing such wounds, and five years had made it seem more like an unpleasant dream than reali- ty, winch the news of Wills return came, awakening memories of Oth- CT days.
 For once MT. Allen was wealth er-wise. The snow had fallen through the night. covering the earth as with mantle, the feath- cry flakes continued to come dow n lazily until just before F o'clock, then there was a rift Tn the west sky, and when the old yellow sleigh stood at the door the sun shone as bright as ever.
 "Be careful, father, and don't let Elizabeth get cold waiting for you," was Mrs. Aliens parting injunction as she came to the door to see them of.
 There was just wind enough to lift the newly fallen snow and send it in little whirls to lie sparkling and glistening a few yards from where it. had fallen. Robin was in excellent spirits, and Mir. Allen de- clared, as he drew up in front of the village postoifice, that the dis tance never seemed so short.
 "Draw the robe close around you, darter, and don't get tired waiting. Fve got to bargain with Sam Chase about that stove, but I'll be quick as can; then we'll drive down to Burnham's and get the book you mentioned" With this and an extra pull to Robins blanket, Mir. Allen was gone.
 Father is right, the old sleigh is more comfortable than the new one," 'Lizabeth thought as she nestled down in one corner, draw ing the robe more closely to keep out the putfs of wind that tried to find entrance ot all corners. While tucking the robe between the cushion and the side of the sleigh her fingers touched something smooth like paper.
 "One of fathers old receipts, he is so careless" she thought, with a fond smile, as she drew it forth for inspection. But glance was need ed to show her mistake.
 It was Il letter yellow with age, unopened and addressed to her self in the handwriting she knew so we'll. She could scarcely trust her eyes. but there was the famil- far pOstmark-San Francisco-and she was leaning forward to read the date, when gust of wind, talk ing it from her hand, deposited it at the feet of the gentleman who was passing.
 She dared not look up, but in a moment he was handing it toward her, saying:
 "Is this your property, Miss Al, !en.n
 At the sound of the voice, so lit. tie changed that she would know |. ,l,n,o tho hat hInod rusha.